Coastal Hydrology, Hydrodynamics, and Oceanography at LSU

Rivers deliver fresh water, sediment, and nutrients to the ocean at the coast, where forces from the land and sea interact to create some of the most dynamic and exciting environments on Earth. Coastal environments are also quite important; they host large human populations and diverse flora and fauna that are increasing vulnerable to human activities and climate change. Our research addresses relevant issues associated with hydrology and hydrodynamics in coastal environments such as river deltas, estuaries, and wetlands. Fundamentally, we want to understand how the transport of water, sediment, and nutrients affects ecological and morphological development in these environments. We use field measurements, numerical modeling, and network analyses to address basic and applied questions about coastal hydrology, hydrodynamics, connectivity, oceanography, and morphodynamics. Examples of projects include: hydrological connectivity in river deltas, algal blooms in estuaries, real-time wave and current measurements, and water transport timescales and nutrient removal in deltaic channel-wetland systems. Our location in Baton Rouge, Louisiana makes it easy to get out into the field often! We're always on the lookout for enthusiastic graduate students, so please contact us to find out about opportunities!